New Living Translation
1 Kings 2:31
31“Do as he said,” the king replied. “Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family.
1 Kings 2:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The king replied to him, "Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed.
Context of 1 Kings 2:31
29When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him. 30Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king orders you to come out!” But Joab answered, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said. “Do as he said,” the king replied. “Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family. 32The Lord will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.”
Read all of 1 Kings 21 Kings 2:31 word by word
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֲשֵׂה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר וּפְגַע־בּ֖וֹ וּקְבַרְתּ֑וֹ וַהֲסִירֹ֣תָ׀ דְּמֵ֣י חִנָּ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁפַ֣ךְ יוֹאָ֔ב מֵעָלַ֕י וּמֵעַ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, Doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- as he hath saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- and fallפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
- upon him, and buryקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- him; that thou mayest take awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
- the innocentחִנָּםchinnâm · for nothingH2600
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- which Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- shedשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: killH8210
- from me, and from the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:31
- Exodus 21:14However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.
- Genesis 9:5“And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die.
- Numbers 35:33This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder.
- Deuteronomy 19:12In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death.
- Deuteronomy 21:8O Lord, forgive your people Israel whom you have redeemed. Do not charge your people with the guilt of murdering an innocent person.’ Then they will be absolved of the guilt of this person’s blood.
- 2 Kings 9:26‘I solemnly swear that I will repay him here on this plot of land, says the Lord, for the murder of Naboth and his sons that I saw yesterday.’ So throw him out on Naboth’s property, just as the Lord said.”
- Proverbs 28:17A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don’t protect him!
- Acts 28:4The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”
- 1 Kings 2:5“And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.
- 2 Samuel 3:28When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:31
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31It was only a murderer to whom the tabernacle was to be no protection (margin reference). Hence, the reference to the “innocent blood.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-34Verses 26-34 Solomon's words to Abiathar, and his silence, imply that some recent conspiracies had been entered into. Those that show kindness to God's people shall have it remembered to their advantage. For this reason Solomon spares Abiathar's life, but dismisses him from his offices. In case of such sins as the blood of beasts would atone for, the altar was a refuge, but not in Joab's case. Solomon looks upward to God as the Author of peace, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-35Solomon believed that Adonijah's main supporters, Abiathar and Joab, were still part of Adonijah's plans, so he took action against them too.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 2:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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